This is the big fight of the moment! We value life, because it is a gift of God. God gave us life, and only God has the right to take our life. The problem is man begins to take the role of God; human institutions and governments act like God. They determine when life begins and when life ends, who may have life and who may not.
Take the case of abortion. This is clearly the murder of an unborn child. It’s contrary to the Commandment, “Thou shall not kill!” Now, several governments in the world have had their way of justifying it; and so they have legalized it. They have argued that women have a right over their body. The truth is no one of us, male or female, has a right over our bodies. Our bodies are gifts of God, and we are just stewards of our bodies. We have to take care of our bodies, because God is the real owner of what he has created. They have also argued that we’re imposing religion on people who choose not to have any religion or who choose not to have moral values. It’s their basic human right. They say that imposing the Commandment, “Thou shall not kill,” applied here to the case of abortion, is imposing Jewish and Christian morality on them. The truth is that killing is evil for all peoples in the world since the beginning. Any person knows this deep in his or her heart. It’s common sense. And killing an unborn child is evil. A woman, a mother, feels this is wrong. This “feeling” or “common sense” in each one of us is the “natural law” implanted by God in our nature. Therefore, killing an unborn child or abortion is definitely evil, a very serious sin!
Take also the case of euthanasia, so-called mercy killing or assisted suicide. This practice is the termination of life when one is seriously sick, in great suffering and pain or too old that one does not find meaning is one’s life. Again in some countries, it is legal to terminate the life of people in such cases. The person himself or herself may request this or people in charge of such persons may request it. In any case, this is contrary to God’s Commandment, “Thou shall not kill!” Euthanasia is killing life. God is the author of life, and God has a plan for life, from conception till its natural death. Whatever happens in life, sickness or health, being young or being old, joy and sadness are part of this life – and God has a purpose for all these. We have to accept the limitations of life in this world; that is why we look forward to “eternal life” when all these limitations end. Of course, those advocating euthanasia will argue again that we’re imposing Christian morality, as in the case of abortion. We argue, on the contrary, that people have a sense that euthanasia is wrong. It’s in the “natural law” that we all know deep in us.
Now, the case of contraception. It is true that contraception is not killing life, because there is still no life present yet. Contraception is preventing the formation of life in the womb of the mother. Is contraception right or wrong? Let’s go back to the story of the creation of man and woman in the Bible. From this story, we come to know God’s plan for man and woman. In the book of Genesis, we read that God created man (Adam) and gave him a fitting partner, the woman (Eve). They were different from each other, physically, psychologically and spiritually. God’s purpose was that they were to become one, that is, each one was incomplete without the other and that they would only be complete when they are united. This is the meaning of their coming together in marriage. God also planned that they become fruitful. Their unity would beget life. They would have children. In that sense, they would be participating in the work of God as Creator; so, they would “pro-creators.” The sexual intercourse then that would be natural for a man and woman to do in their married life is both an expression of their loving unity between themselves and the begetting of a child. This is clearly God’s plan for their sexual union. Contraception, as the word implies, “against conception,” is certainly contrary to God’s plan. Contraception therefore is certainly evil! Let us be wary of developing a contraceptive mentality.
Now, nota bene, “an important note!” If, for serious reasons, a couple is not ready for a child, they can prevent the formation of a child by following the natural ways and cycle of a woman. She has her fertile and infertile periods, and the sexual act is done during the infertile period. Following this natural method is not contraception, strictly speaking, because no child can possibly be formed. But, using artificial contraceptive devices, such as pills, the IUD and having ligation or vasectomy to prevent the formation of a child, are immoral!
Abortion, euthanasia and contraception are all anti-life. They belong together in the same tree of death. They belong to the culture of death. Let’s fight for life. Let’s be pro-life. Let’s promote the culture of life!
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